Established 1914

Volume XVI, Number 27 11th Waxing of Kason 1370 ME Thursday, 15 May, 2008

Emergence of the State Constitution is the duty of all citizens of Myanmar Naing-Ngan.

* Development of agriculture as the base and all-rounddevelopment of other sectors of the economy as well

* Proper evolution of the market-oriented economicsystem

* Development of the economy inviting participation interms of technical know-how and investments fromsources inside the country and abroad

* The initiative to shape the national economy must be keptin the hands of the State and the national peoples

* Uplift of the morale and morality ofthe entire nation

* Uplift of national prestige and integ-rity and preservation and safeguard-ing of cultural heritage and nationalcharacter

* Uplift of dynamism of patriotic spirit* Uplift of health, fitness and education

standards of the entire nation

* Stability of the State, community peaceand tranquillity, prevalence of law andorder

* National reconsolidation* Emergence of a new enduring State

Constitution* Building of a new modern developed

nation in accord with the new StateConstitution

Four economic objectives Four social objectivesFour political objectives

NAY PYI TAW, 14 May—Prime Minister of theUnion of Myanmar General Thein Sein cordially wel-comed Thai Prime Minister Mr Samak Sundaravej andmembers at Sedona Hotel on Kaba Aye Pagoda Roadin Yangon this afternoon. Prime Minister General Thein Sein met ThaiPrime Minister Mr Samak Sundaravej in Mindon Hall.

Present on the occasion were Minister for For-eign Affairs U Nyan Win, Minister for National Plan-ning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Ministerfor Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maj-GenMaung Maung Swe, Director-General of the Govern-ment Office Col Thant Shin, Director-General of Pro-tocol Department U Kyaw Kyaw and officials.

The Thai Prime Minister was accompanied byThai Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Bansarn Bunnagand Military Attache Col Ekachai Harnpoon Vittaya.

The Thai Prime Minister said he had a feeling ofdelicacy to meet his counterpart while the latter wasdoing heavy duty. Myanmar people got into troubledue to the storm and the Thai people shared sorrow ofthe people of Myanmar.

(See page 8)

Prime Minister General Thein Sein meets Thai counterpartMyanmar government and people express thanks

to Thai King and family,Thai government and people for their donations

Prime Minister General Thein Sein and Mr Samak Sundaravej, Prime Minister of Thailand, visit a relief camp in Dagon Myothit (South).—�MNA

Prime Minister General Thein Sein accepts cash and kind from Thai Prime MinisterMr Samak Sundaravej donated by the Government of Thailand and Thai people.—MNA

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2 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008

PERSPECTIVES* Oppose those relying on external elements, acting as stooges, holding negative views* Oppose those trying to jeopardize stability of the State and progress of the nation* Oppose foreign nations interfering in internal affairs of the State* Crush all internal and external destructive elements as the common enemy

People’s DesireThursday, 15 May, 2008

There occur natural disasters such asstorms, floods, earthquakes and heat wavesin some regions of the world due to climatechange. In Myanmar there were a great dealof losses in Ayeyawady and Yangon Divisionsdue to a severe storm that occurred earlierthis month cyclonic. Relief and rehabilitationmeasures are being taken phase by phase incooperation with the people, socialorganizations and departments concernedwith assistance of local and foreignorganizations under the leadership of thegovernment. Priority is being given tosearching for missing people, accommodationof the victims and providing food and othersupplies and health care services.

At the same time the government andnational entrepreneurs are participating inthe tasks for resettlement and reconstructionof houses, hospitals, schools and departmentoffices.

With the speedy measures for relief andresettlement, concerted efforts are to be madefor reestablishment of economy andproduction enterprises in the storm-hitregions. Departments concerned are toprovide necessary assistance to agricultureand livestock breeding.

It is necessary to repair dams,embankments and sluice gates in sea water-flooded areas, to provide cattle, farmimplements, fertilizers and paddy strains intime and to guard against the animal diseases.

Under the leadership of the governmentrequirements are to be fulfilled in theagriculture and livestock breeding sectorsfor reclamation of farmlands while carryingout relief and rehabilitation tasks in storm-affected areas with greater momentum.

Provide paddy strains andfarm implements in time

YANGON, 13 May —Member of NationalDisaster PreparednessCentral CommitteeMinister for InformationBrig-Gen Kyaw Hsanvisited relief camp at No8 Basic Education MiddleSchool in Ward 20,Hlinethaya Township thisafternoon.

The ministercordially met 1040 familymembers of 182households.

Next, the ministerpresented suppliesincluding rice, dry noodleand tinned fish donated bythe State and well-

Information Minister presents supplies tostorm victims in Hlinethaya Township

wishers to each householdby hand.

MNA

Air Force performs relief and rehabilitation task

MPMEEA, pharmaceutical entrepreneursdonate cash and medicines

YANGON, 14 May –Organized by MyanmarPharmaceutical andMedical EquipmentEntrepreneurs’ Asso-ciation, a ceremony todonate cash and medicinesfor the people in storm-hitregions was held at

Yangon People’s Hospitalthis afternoon. Minister forHealth Dr Kyaw Myintaccepted K 1 milliondonated by MPMEEA andmedicines by pharmaceu-tical companies includingmedicines worth K 310million by Concordia Int’l

Co Ltd, medicines worthover K 97 million by TCWInt’l Trading Co Ltd,medicines worth over 51million by United Pharma(Yangon) Co Ltd andmedicines worth K 50million by Zydus CadilaHealthcare Ltd.—MNA

NAY PYI TAW, 14May – Defence Services

(Air) is carrying out reliefand rehabilitation worksfor the people in storm-hitregions.

A total of 10.7 tonsof supplies were

transported to Bogale,Kamatalu, Kyeinchaung,Setsan, Kyaiklat, Pyapon,Dedaye, Kyonda, Amar,Pathein, Labutta andMyaungmya by

helicopter yesterday.So far, 327.18 tons

of supplies had beentransported to storm-hitareas up to now.

MNA

Nation-wide donations for storm victims

1. 6-5-2008 37030100 93476240 130506240

2. 7-5-2008 974904305 266307100 1241211405

3. 8-5-2008 267575750 197492217 465067967

4. 9-5-2008 1882507170 297022584 2179529754

5. 10-5-2008 303457240 86371850 389829090

6. 11-5-2008 134015905 41999875 176015790

7. 12-5-2008 120946000 260021990 380967990

8. 13-5-2008 330959990 244285990 575245980

9. 14-5-2008 261515206 187380552 448895838Total 4312911656 1674358398 5987270054

Sr. DateCash Kind

TotalDonation

Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan presents reliefitems for the storm victims in Hlinethaya

Township.—MNA

Minister Dr Kyaw Myint accepts medicines and medical equipmentdonated by Medicines and Medical Merchants Association.—MNA

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THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008 3

A deserted market is seen after a bomb blast in Choti Choupad in the westernIndian city of Jaipur on 13 May, 2008. More than 60 people were feared

killed in bomb blasts in Jaipur on Tuesday, state television said, citing ChiefMinister Vasundhara Raje.—XINHUA

Bomb blasts kill 60 in western India JAIPUR (India), 14 May

—Sixty people were killedin a series of bomb attacksin India’s western city ofJaipur on Tuesday even-ing, police, officials andwitnesses said.

At least six bombs,which exploded inmarkets and near a Hindutemple in Jaipur’s cro-wded walled city just asmany people took to thestreets after a swelteringday, also wounded up to150 people, officials said.

Rajasthan state

government officials saidbetween 50 and 60 peoplewere killed in theexplosions, the deadliestbomb attacks in India innearly two years.

“According to theinformation I havereceived 60 people havedied and 150 have beeninjured,” Rajasthan’sChief Minister Vasund-hara Raje was quoted bythe Press Trust of India assaying.

But the state’s policechief gave lower figures.

“Forty-five people havebeen killed and at least100 have been injured,” A S Gill, Director Generalof Police in the stateof Rajasthan, told re-porters.

No group has claimedresponsibility for theattacks. But India haspreviously blamed Paki-stan-based Islamistmilitants fighting to endNew Delhi’s rule ofKashmir for suchbombings.

MNA/Reuters

China earthquake death toll nears 15,000

Armed police carry 17-year-old student Yan Peng after he was rescued out ofthe ruins of a two-story building in the quake-stricken Beichuan County in

southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 14, 2008. — XINHUA

DUJIANGYAN (China),14 May — The officialdeath toll from the massiveearthquake that struckcentral China climbedWednesday to almost15,000, as the crushed

bodies of 178 studentswere discovered under aleveled school inQingchuan in northernSichuan.

The state-run Xinhuanews agency reported the

official death toll from the7.9-magnitude quake as14,866.

The confirmed deathtoll for Mianyang cityalone rose to 5,430 onWednesday. More than18,000 people there werestill thought to be buriedunder crushed buildingsthere. In total, almost30,000 people werethought to be buried underdebris in the hard-hitregion.

Military helicoptersdropped food andmedicine to earthquakesurvivors who remainedcut off in remote mountainvillages behind roadsclogged by landslides.

Some victims trappedfor more than two daysunder collapsed buildingswere still being pulled outalive in delicate rescues. Internet

Gaza rocket strikes Israeli city, 14 wounded

Israeli firefighters and police examine thedamage at the site where a rocket fired byPlaestinian militants from the Gaza Striplanded at a shopping mall in the town of

Ashkelon, southern Israel, Wednesday, May14, 2008.—INTERNET

Ashkelon, (Israel ) 14May—A rocket firedfrom Gaza exploded in ashopping center in thissouthern Israeli cityWednesday, wounding at

least 14 people, as Presi-dent Bush wrapped uptalks in Jerusalem with Is-rael's prime minister.

The rocket rippedthrough the roof of a mall

in Ashkelon, causing alarge chunk of the ceilingto collapse in a huge pileof rubble and twistedmetal. Four windowswere blown out of the sideof the building.

After his talks withBush, Prime MinisterEhud Olmert said Israelwill take the "necessarysteps" to stop violencefrom Gaza and called theAshkelon attack "intoler-able and unacceptable."

"The government ofIsrael is committed to stopit," said at a world confer-ence marking Israel's 60thanniversary.

Prior to the attack,Olmert had told Bush thathis government was hop-ing it would "not have toact against Hamas in otherways with the militarypower that Israel hasn'tyet started to use in a se-rious manner in order tostop it."

Internet

Suicide bomber kills 22 inattack west of Baghdad

S Korea to discuss North’snuclear list with China

SEOUL, 14 May—SouthKorea’s chief nuclearenvoy goes to China onTuesday for talks thatcould preface NorthKorea’s return to inter-national disarmamentnegotiations and therelease of a long-delayedinventory of its atomicarms programme.

At the weekend, a USnuclear envoy returnedfrom Pyongyang withdocuments detailing theNorth’s weapons-gradeplutonium programme.

Washington said this wasan “important first step”in getting a full nucleardeclaration.

South Korea’s ForeignMinistry said envoy KimSook will be in Beijingfor discussions on six-country nuclear talks,which have been on icesince North Korea missedan end-2007 deadline toprovide the nuclear list.

North Korea is likely tomake the declaration toChina, host of the six-country talks, in the next

two weeks, a SouthKorean official familiarwith the process said,declining to be namedbecause of the sensitivityof the diplomatic mano-euvring.

A new round of the talksamong the two Koreas,China, Japan, Russia andthe United States willprobably take place inearly June, and the mainsubject of discussions willbe verification, the officialsaid.

MNA/Reuters

BAGHADA, 14May—Iraqi police say asuicide bomber killed 22people and wounded atleast 35 at the funeral ofa Sunni school principalwest of Baghdad.

The bomber blewhimself up in a funeraltent in the village of Abu

Minasir. The funeral wasfor a grammar schoolprincipal who was shotand killed Tuesday.

Many Sunnis op-posed to al-Qaida were atthe funeral Wednesday.Col. Faisal al-Zubaie said22 people died in the at-tack—.Internet

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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4 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008

YANGON, 14 May—Minister for NationalPlanning and EconomicDevelopment U Soe Thawent on inspection tourof Twantay Township tosupervise relief andrehabilitation tasksyesterday morning.

Upon arrival atTamangyi village, hepresented 30 bags of riceand 30 tarpaulins to stormvictims and inspectedPhaya Ngoatto (North)Village Basic EducationPrimary School.Wellwishers and officialsconcerned donated 30bags of rice and 20tarpaulins to the stormvictims.

Minister supervises relief andrehabilitation tasks in Twantay Township

Next, the minister andparty presented 20 bagsof rice and 30 plasticsheets to the storm victimsin Phaya Ngoatto (South)village, 30 bags of riceand 30 plastic sheets inSan village, 30 bags ofrice and 30 plastic sheetsin Pauktaw village, 50bags of rice and 50 plasticsheets in Lakaponvillage, 70 bags of riceand 50 plastic sheets inPhayagyi model village,50 bags of rice and 30plastic sheets in Kanbemodel village, 30 bags ofrice and 30 plastic sheetsin Htawtho village, 30bags of rice and 30 plasticsheets in Taloathtaw

village and 30 bags of rice,two barrels of edible oiland 60 plastic sheets inShansu village.

Afterwards, theminister paid homage toKyaungthit PariyattiSarthintaik PresidingSayadaw BhaddantaUttamasara andwellwishers donated 50bags of rice to theSayadaw.

In the afternoon, theminister met with officialsconcerned of respectivesub-committees anddiscussed relief andrehabilitation tasks for thevictims and attended to theneeds.

MNA

NAY PYI TAW, 14 May—Hydropower Depart-ment under the Ministryof Electric Power No 1and Yunnan United PowerDevelopment Co Ltd ofthe People’s Republic ofChina signed Shweli 2/3hydropower project at theministry on 12 May.

Present on the

YANGON, 14 May—The Committee forReconstruction of Townsand Villages held itsmeeting at the Departmentfor Human Settlement andHousing Development,here yesterday morning.

The meeting wasattended by Chairman ofthe committee forreconstruction of townsand villages DeputyMinister for Construction

YANGON, 14 May – Ademonstration on pitchingof shelter boxes was heldat Fire ServicesDepartment (Head Office)in Mayangon Townshipyesterday morning.

The Rotary Club ofHelstone-Lizard, aninternational socialorganization based inBritain, donated the shelterboxes to storm-hithouseholds in AyeyawadyDivision.

Two experts fromBritain demonstratedputting up of the shelterboxes.

Officials and rescuersfrom Fire ServicesDepartment observed thedemonstration.

Demonstration of pitching ofshelter boxes held

Rescue teams fromFire Services Departmentwill also demonstrate theputting up of the shelterboxes in Ayeyawady

Division. One shelter boxholds ten people andincludes blankets,mosquito nets, stove andinstant foods.— MNA

Shweli 2/3 Hydropowerprojects signed

occasion were Attorney-General U Aye Maung,the deputy ministers,directors-general, deputydirectors-general andVice-President of YunnanUnited Power Develop-ment Co Ltd. The DeputyMinister for ElectricPower No 1 and the vice-president of YUPD Co Ltd

made speeches.The director-general

of HPD and the Vice-President of YUPD Co Ltdsigned the MoU andexchanged it. The Shweli2/3 hydro power projectscan generate 460Megawatts and 360Megawatts respectively.

MNA

Committee for Reconstruction ofTowns and Villages meets

Brig-Gen Myint Thein andcommittee members of therespective ministries.

The meeting dis-cussed immediatereconstruction ofnecessary buildings instorm-hit towns andvillages in Ayeyawadyand Yangon Divisions inaccord with theemergency project, supplyof safe water and electricpower, reconstruction of

roads and bridges linkingtowns and villages,operation of postalservice, telephone andtelegraphs, arrangementsfor agriculture andlivestock breeding,seeking ways and meansfor reestablishment offactories and workshopsand implementation ofthe projects phase byphase.

MNA

Local authorities distribute relief aids to storm victims in ThakaytaTownship.—MNA

Minister U Soe Tha presents relief aids to storm victims in TamangyiVillage in Twantay Township.—MNA

Officials of Fire Services Department view demonstration for setting up of tents. — MNA

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THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008 5

(from page 16) to accommodate them along with the relief supplies.

Next, Commander Brig-Gen Kyaw Swe, Adju-tant-General Maj-Gen Thura Myint Aung and minis-ters briefed the Prime Minister on condition of storm-hit areas in Labutta Township and arrangements to bemade for carrying out rehabilitation tasks.

Regarding the reports, the Prime Minister gavenecessary instructions to officials concerned. After-wards, the Prime Minister gave instructions on carry-ing out rehabilitation and development tasks whileproviding relief and health care services to the stormvictims effectively.

On arrival at Myaungmya, chairman ofMyaungmya District PDC U Aye Han briefed thePrime Minister and party on active participation ofdepartmental personnel at district and township levelsand the local people in relief and rehabilitation for thestorm victims from Labutta Township.

In response to the reports, the Prime Ministerattended to the needs and instructed the officialsconcerned to constantly focus on health care services,food and accommodation for the storm victims andfulfil their needs with goodwill.

Next, the Prime Minister and party arrived backPathein by Tatmadaw helicopter.

MNA

Prime Minister GeneralThein Sein inspects…

Prime Minister General Thein Sein presents relief aids donated by MWAF to storm victims at relief camp .—MNA

Adjutant-General Maj-Gen Thura Myint Aung presents relief aids donated by MWAF tostorm victims at relief camp.—MNA

Officials of IBTC & Group of Co Ltddistribute relief aids to storm survivors in

Kawhmu, Kungyangon and Letkhokkon.—MNA

Soldiers clearing aroad in Pazundaung

Township.MNA

YANGON, 14 May— The 60 staff of IBTC &Group of Co Ltd provided relief supplies such as 750bags of rice, 1500 viss of groundnut oil, 1518 T-shirts,770 longyis for women, 1500 towels, 301 mosquitonets, 1500 packets of candle to the victims from stormhit areas: Kawhmu, Kungyangon and Letkhokkon.The company has similar programs for relief aids tostorm victims.

MNA

IBTC & Group ofCo Ltd donates

supplies forstorm-hit townships

YCDC staffclear debris onMaha Bandoola

StreetYANGON, 14 May

—A total of 400 staff ofEnvironmental Conser-vation and SanitationDepartment underYangon City Develop-ment Committee carriedout the clearing tasks heretoday. They removedbranches and debriscaused by the storm alongMaha Bandoola Streetusing heavy machinery.

MNA

YANGON, 14 May—A total of 150 officersand other ranks of theregiments and units under

Soldiers remove debris along Strand RoadIndaing Station took partin the clearing tasks heretoday. They removedbranches and debris

caused by the storm alongStrand Road using heavymachinery.

MNA

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6 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008

The storm that hit the delta, Yangon and Bagodivisions, and Mon and Kayin states on 2 and 3 May isthe hardest of its kind for Myanmar. I think it claimedmore human lives and property than any other strongwind in the course of Myanmar history.

At about 5 am on 3 May, the natural disaster wascentred in Yangon. Trees were uprooted, branches werebroken off the trees, and corrugated iron sheets werethrown off the houses and they were flying in the air.And only things within the distance of about 100 yardswere visible.

The storm abated in the afternoon. In Yangon at thattime, big trees were without branches, the ground wasfull of downed trees and tree branches, and manybuildings were without roofs. The scene was like a placethat had been ravaged by bomb explosions. Due to thedowned trees, I had to use a lot of energy to get to thegate of the house compound from the door of the house.At that time, all the roads were not in a position to copewith vehicles. The whole Yangon was without anysounds of an automobile. Yangon was so silent that itwas like a ghost town.

Then, we started to deal with evil consequences ofthe disaster. We ran out of electricity and water. Thedwellers had to go through a variety of difficulties.There was no supply of electricity and water. Transportservice was not available. Filling stations could not rundue to lack of power supply. Oil tankers could not run,so a car had to spend about four hours to get a quota oftwo gallons of petrol. Commodity prices went up sharply.People had to spend 500 kyats for a trip before largebuses could resume their runs.

I thought the city would not be able to recover fromthe situations in one month. Shin Saw Pu Street next tothe People’s Park was blocked with large trees that weremore than 100 years old. A pick-up was flat under alarge downed tree. Many lamp-posts were lying downon the ground, and many were broken, and the roadswere in a mess with cable lines.

However, it was amazing. Within four days afterthe storm, water supply was resumed through Gyobyuwater pipeline and gas filling stations resumed theirfunctions. And in five days the roads were cleared. Thatwas due to the efforts the people, service personnel,NGOs and Tatmadaw members had made with heartand soul. I witnessed that road-clearing works werecarried out with the use of trucks and bulldozers fromdawn to dusk.

In the meantime, employees of the Myanma ElectricPower Enterprise and the Myanma Posts andTelecommunications were busy checking and repairingthe lamp-posts and telegraph lines. Soon after that,phone services and power supply were resumed. Friendsand relatives began to exchange their experience of thestorm.

Forty townships of Yangon came under the storm,but it was nothing if compared with the townships in thedelta. The delta suffered not only the strong wind butalso tidal waves that were as high as two or three metres.To make matters worse, the majority of the houses werewooden ones roofed with thatches and walled withbamboo matting. So, Ayeyawady Division’s death tollstood at five figures, whereas Yangon’s death toll, attwo figures. In the disaster-affected areas in the delta,the difficulties of water shortage and power outage werenot all. The victims in the delta were also engaged in afight against the challenge to continue to survive the evilconsequences of the storm. Many children becameorphans. Many elderly persons lost their children who

Let’s work together for the nation tobe able to rise from natural disaster

Hlaing Aungwould take care of them, and many women lost theirhusbands.

In fact, the dwellers had not faced such a severedisaster in their life time, so they failed to makepreparedness works. But, weather reports about thepossible disaster were released repeatedly in advance.Moreover, they did not have enough knowledge aboutpreparedness works. Only after the natural disaster, wouldthey take lessons.

The storm was just a natural disaster, and it movedalong its route. It was not possible to avoid the storm.What is the most appropriate to do in this regard is to takelessons from the consequences of the storm in order thatpreparedness works can be carried out most effectively tobe able to minimize the loss and damages in case of afuture natural disaster.

World countries do the same. For example,Bangladesh faced cyclone Marian in 1991. The windblew at a speed of about 140 miles an hour and tidalwaves were as high as about eight meters, leaving about140,000 people dead and four million, homeless. Takinglessons from the disaster, the government and the peoplecarried out jointly preparedness works. The countryagain faced a severe cyclone Seda in November 2007.However, about two million people were evacuated tosafe places. So, only over 3000 people were killed andabout 3000 injured.

In November 2004, an earthquake measuring 9.3 onthe Richter scale took place with the centre in the PacificOcean near Indonesia, causing tsunami. The tsunamitriggered huge tidal waves, so nearly 300,000 peopleresiding around the Indian Ocean were killed and about14,000 had gone missing. Only after the tsunami, didglobal countries work together and set up tsunami warningsystems.

Similarly, in this storm in Myanmar, the government,local authorities, the people and NGOs launched reliefand rehabilitation works soon after the disaster. So, theymanaged to speed up the rehabilitation tasks.

At 8.30 am on 3 May, in Nay Pyi Taw, the team ledby Chairman of the National Disaster PreparednessCentral Committee Prime Minister General Thein Seinheld a meeting and coordinated necessary measures.Then, the Prime Minister headed for Yangon andsupervised the relief works. Respective regional teamscomprising ministers, deputy ministers and commanderslaunched rescue and relief tasks promptly. Thegovernment designated K 5000 million as the first phase.

Tatmadaw members (Army, Navy and Air Force)contributed voluntary services to the tasks. Helicoptersand aircraft of the Air Force transported relief suppliesand medicines to the affected areas and took back theinjured to the hospitals in urban areas. I was glad to seethat State level officials by helicopter comforted andcared of the victims, and I noticed State level officialscared of and had goodwill for the public.

In reality, developed countries did suffer heavy lossof lives and property, let alone developing countries. InAugust 2005, Katrina hurricane crossed the south-eastpart of the US and six states at a speed of 175 miles perhour, leaving more than 1800 dead, more than 700missing with a total loss of property worth 81.2 billionUS dollars. The loss of that developed country was greatdespite the fact that it had built embankments andpreparedness against such natural disasters.

The central government was not in a position tolaunch rescue tasks for several days in the incident ofKatrina. Moreover, state governments were not capableof addressing the issue. So, many people died of starvation.

Looting was rife in the areas, so authorities had to useforce to stop the violence. There was a widespreadcriticism that the disaster took place in the state wherethe majority of the people were the Blacks, so thegovernment failed to pay a serious attention to the issue.When I remembered that, I felt encouraged to know thatin our country, the government, the Tatmadaw, servicepersonnel, entrepreneurs, social organizations and thepeople engaged in collaboration in the relief andresettlement works.

I thanked international organizations, neighbouringcountries and many other donor countries for theirgenerous donation of funds, medicines and householdutensils. On 5 May, Yangon International Airportresumed its functions. The first international aid wasdonated by Thai Royal Armed Forces. Then, Indiashipped relief supplies. Then, relief items from theRussian Federation, Japan, Laos, China, Singapore,India, Bangladesh, Italy, Ukraine, Thailand, Malaysia,Indonesia and the Republic of Korea and Greece andinternational organizations such as WFP and WHO andUNICEF were flowing by air to Myanmar. I was glad tohear that Bill Gate’s foundation was going to donate onemillion US dollars, and many countries, one million USdollars, three million US dollars, etc.

Myanmar people accept any kinds of foreign aidwith appreciation, regardless of the amount. However,they will not rely too much on international assistance,and will reconstruct the nation on self-reliance basis.The assistance Myanmar has received is rather small ifcompared with the assistance to other regional countriesthat suffered natural disasters. In 2007, Bangladeshreceived hundreds of millions of US dollars from theinternational community including 100 million USdollars from Saudi Arabia, 2.5 million US dollars fromEU, and 14.4 million US dollars from the US. After thetsunami in 2004, the US donated more than 800 millionUS dollars to Indonesia, which also received over 300million US dollars from the Asian Development Bank.Those were exclusive of the donations of other countriesand international organizations. I had sympathetic joyfor neighbouring countries receiving a great deal of aid.Myanmar remains to open the door for assistance fromfriendly countries that have goodwill for her.

The size of the assistance of internal donors is alsovery huge. There have been many persons, each ofwhom has contributed 10 to 100 million kyats. Accordingto the figures stated in the newspapers, the donationshave reached over 5000 million kyats. Many others aredonating hundreds of millions of kyats. Myanmarpeople’s generosity is amazing.

I expect that the victims will soon recover from theevil consequences of the natural disaster thanks to theassistance of local and foreign donors, the patronage ofthe government, supervision of the officials, efforts ofTatmadaw members and service personnel, and activeparticipation of NGOs and local people.

Now, relief tasks have been completed. However, alot of rehabilitatrion works have yet to be carried out inthe long run, for instance, to provide shelters and cash,to care for the helpless, to create jobs, to carry outpreparedness works against future possible disasters, togive educative talks, and to stockpile emergency items.

It is believed that the nation will be able to overcomeall forms of challenges related to natural disasters if thegovernment, the Tatamdaw, service personnel, socialorganizations and the people from all walks of lifecontinue to work together.

Translation: MS

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THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008 7

Shwedagon Pagoda’sHtidaw remains intact

YANGON, 13 May — A survey team ofConcordia International Co conducted a survey tofind out whether the Htidaw (Umbrella) ofShwedagon Pagoda was tilted at an angle due to thestorm. Based on the ground mark CP (9), the teamsurveyed the prism (16) fixed at the pagoda with theuse of Total Station GTS 105M (Topcon Japan) andTotal Station GTS 239N Topcon Japan.

According to the survey, the Pagoda was nottilted at an angle, it is learnt.—MNA

YANGON, 14 May—Accompanied by CECmembers of the UnionSolidarity andDevelopment Asso-ciation Chairman ofYangon CityDevelopment CommitteeMayor Brig-Gen AungThein Lin and Vice-Mayor Col Maung Pa,departmental officials andwellwishers, Lt-GenMyint Swe of the Ministryof Defence comfortedstorm victims at ThiriZeya Anawrahta Hall inDalla Township thisafternoon.

He presented reliefgoods donated by theOffice of MyanmarMilitary Attaché toThailand to the victims.The mayor and the vice-mayor presented relief aidto the victims.

Cetana donationgroup presented 500 bagsof rice, U Soe Hlaing(Swan-ah EngineeringGroup) K 1 million andDr Naing Win (KyawZeya Co) K 500,000 tothe funds for educationand health sectors of thevictims.

Lt-Gen Myint Sweexplained arrangementsbeing made by thegovernment and

Lt-Gen Myint Swe presents supplies to victimsin Dalla, Seikkyi-Khanaungto townships

wellwishers to donaterelief aids to the victims intime. Likewise, Divi-sion,District and Town-shipPDCs, companies andwellwishers donated reliefgoods to the victims ofDalla Township.

In Seikkyi-Khanaungto Township,Lt-Gen Myint Sweprovided relief aid donated

victims at MogaungPagoda of West SeikkyiWard. Local authoritiesand wellwishers presentedrelief goods to the victims.

After that, Lt-GenMyint Swe attended theannual ceremony to payhomage to TipitakadharaDhammabhandagarikaAgga Maha PanditaBhaddanta Suman-

by the Office of MyanmarMilitary Attaché toThailand to the victims.The mayor and the vice-mayor also presentedrelief goods to the victims.Wellwishers also donatedrelief aid to the victims.

They also presentedrelief supplies to the

dagalankara (PhD) ofTipitaka Maha GandayonMonastery in Ward 9 ofMayangon Township inconjunction and openBawdipuza MingalaBeikman. In addition, heattended the ceremony tohonour the monks whopassed the TipitakadharaSelection Examination atthe same venue. – MNA

Latest casualty figuresNAY PYI TAW, 14 May — Due to the storm on 2

and 3 May, there have been deaths, injuries and missingin Ayeyawady and Yangon Divisions.

According to the latest figures of the victims upto 6 pm today, a total of 38,491 people died, 1,403 wereinjured and 27,838 went missing in all regions struckby the storm. — MNA

Local Naval units perform relief and resettlement works

YANGON, 14 May — Relief supplies were sent to

storm-hit areas in Ayeyawady Divison by Tatmadawhelicopter this morning.

A total weight of 2,300 Kg including tents,tarpaulins, dry rations, medicines, bottled drinkingwater, bags of rice, clothes and utensils were sent toBogale Township.— MNA

Relief supplies sent to Bogale

NAY PYI TAW, 14 May — Servicemen of localbattalion went to Thetkethaung, Myothit andNgapyayma village-tracts in Hainggyikyun Townshipby one naval vessel and three life-boats and performedwaterway clearing, relief and resettlement works

yesterday.Four vessels of Defence Services (Navy) have

transported 60.5 tons of supplies to Pyapon, Bogale,Labutta, Theindangyi, Achalay village in Pyapon andKyauksayit village in Dedaye. — MNA

Lt-Gen Myint Swe of the Ministry of Defence inspects living condition of households in storm-affected areas.—MNA

Commander Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win and Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan comfort storm victimsin Hlinethaya Township.—MNA

Commander, Minister comfort stormvictims in Hlinethaya Township

YANGON, 14 May — Chairman of YangonDivision Peace and Development Council Commanderof Yangon Command Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win andMinister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsancordially comforted storm victims at the relief campopened at No 15 Basic Education Primary School in

Ward 7 of Hlinethaya at 5 pm today.They presented purified drinking water,

foodstuff, candles and personal goods to them.In his speech, the commander explained that

under the supervisions, the Division PDC, ministriesand wellwishers are making concerted efforts forsupply of power, smooth transportation, running ofindustrial zones as usual, working of employees in theworksites and opening of tax-free markets and specialrice shops. In his instructions, Minister Brig-GenKyaw Hsan also explained progress in reconstructiontasks being carried out by local authorities, ministriesand wellwishers under the arrangements of thegovernment. Next, he consoled the victims.

The commander and the minister cordiallygreeted the victims after providing foodstuff, purifieddrinking water, candles and personal goods to them atthe camp. — MNA

15-5-08 NL 7/29/18, 3:01 PM7

8 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008

Prime Minister GeneralThein Sein meets…

(from page 1)He said Thailand provided assistance to

Myanmar after the storm and he assured that contin-ued assistance would also be provided via Myawady,a border town.

In his reply, Prime Minister General TheinSein said some regions in the country faced naturaldisaster and he was pleased to see the visiting PrimeMinister in the time of difficulty and thanked him forproviding assistance.

He said the supplies were delivered to thecountry in seven flights. As soon as the suppliesarrived at Yangon International Airport, they weredelivered right to disaster-hit areas.

The relief supplies donated by Thailand includedthose of the Thai King himself as well as those ofPrincess Siridhorn. Myanmar also accepted the reliefgoods donated by the Thai government and the people.

The Myanmar government and the people ex-press thanks to the Thai King and family, the Thai

government and the people for their donations.The Prime Minister said the Myanmar people

had never experienced such a violent storm thatoccurred on 2 and 3 May. The storm claimed over30,000 lives and more than 20,000 went missing. Italso caused a great deal of damage.

On 3 May after the storm, the cabinet membersled by the Prime Minister rushed to Yangon. Theministers were sent to the storm-hit regions to closelysupervise relief work. Relief operations were carriedout effectively with the aim of helping the survivorsto continue to survive the aftershocks. Now, all therelief work has been completed. As a second step,relief works are being carried out.

The relief goods such as food, clothing andmedicines that have come from the internationalcommunity shortly after the storm are enough for thevictims, said the Prime Minister.

Next, the Thai Prime Minister presented Bud-dha images to Prime Minister General Thein Sein asa Dhamma gift. General Thein Sein hosted a lunch-eon in honour of the Thai Prime Minister and party atthe Sedona Hotel. Before luncheon, the Thai Prime

Minister had the scenic view of Yangon from the 11thfloor. They then had lunch.

After the lunch, the Thai Prime Minister pre-sented US$ 500,000, 50 satellite phones and phonecards worth 2 million baht donated by the Thaigovernment and the people and US$ 92728 donatedby a Buddhist organization in Thailand to PrimeMinister General Thein Sein.

Then, the two Prime Ministers spoke wordsof thanks again. Thai Prime Minister said that herealized the rescue efforts of Myanmar due to hisfirsthand experience rather than hearsay.

Next, Prime Minister General Thein Sein andthe Thai Prime Minister, accompanied by responsiblepersonnel, proceeded in cars to Yankin, SouthOkkalapa, Dagon Myothit (North) and Dagon Myothit(South) townships and inspected the progress of workon smooth flow of traffic, removal of trees and recon-struction of houses.

After that, they visited the relief camp opened atWard 17 in Dagon Myothit (South) and, on arrivalthere, they were welcomed by Chairman of YangonDivision Peace and Development Council Commanderof Yangon Command Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win.

Responsible personnel briefed the Thai PrimeMinister and party on measures taken for opening therelief camp with the use of tents donated by interna-tional communities and supplying purified drinkingwater. Then they continued to explain that an admin-istrative office and a control office were opened at thecamp in order that the requirements of the stormvictims could be met promptly.

The Thai Prime Minister also consulted thedoctor who was giving medical treatment at the reliefcamp. Then Prime Minister General Thein Sein andthe Thai Prime Minister checked the medicines do-nated.

After that, the Thai Prime Minister greeted thechildren watching a video in the camp. And then, theThai Prime Minister asked the victims about thesituation of accommodation and distribution of re-lief. Finally, the Thai Prime Minister said goodbye toPrime Minister General Thein Sein and left DagonMyothit (South) for Yangon International Airport toreturn home.

MNAPrime Minister General Thein Sein and Thai Prime Minister Mr Samak Sundaravej visit a relief

camp in Dagon Myothit (South).—MNA

Prime Minister General Thein Sein meets Thai Prime Minister Mr Samak Sundaravej at Sedona Hotel.—MNA

Prime Minister General Thein Sein greetsThai Prime Minister Mr Samak Sundaravej at

Sedona Hotel.—MNA

15-5-08 NL 7/29/18, 3:01 PM8

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008 9

Relief items donated by Thai Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn seen at Yangon International Airport.—MNA

YANGON, 14 May — Donors from abroad areproviding relief aid to storm-hit regions continuously.

AN-12 aircraft carrying 18 tons of medicinesdonated by UNICEF, five C-130 aircraft carrying 57

Relief aid from abroad arrives at Yangon International Airporttons of bottles of purified drinking water, foodstuff,plastic sheets and emergency relief items by the US,DC-8 aircraft carrying 31 tons of 1,367 packets ofmosquito nets by Switzerland-based Doctors without

Border, two C-130 aircraft carrying 31 tons of personalgoods, foodstuff and clothes by Prince MahaVajiralongkorn of Thailand, IL-76 aircraft carrying36.153 tons of 1605 packages of plastic sheet by WFP,AN-12 aircraft carrying 144 tents, 144 tarpaulin and720 blankets by Emergency Relief Unit of Swedenarrived at Yangon International Airport today.

Likewise, IL-76 aircraft carrying 21 tons of oneToyota car, water purifier and its related equipmentdonated by ICRC arrived at Yangon InternationalAirport yesterday evening.

The relief aid from abroad has been sent to thestorm-hit areas by helicopter, by vehicle and bywatercraft. — MNA

Relief supplies donated by Swiss-based Doctors Without Borders arrive atYangon International Airport.—MNA

AN-12 aircraft carrying medicines donated by UNICEF at Yangon International Airport.—MNA

Minister Maj-Gen Htay Oo provideshousehold goods and cash to the victims in

Labutta Township.—MNA

Ministers provide relief aid tostorm victims in Labutta

YANGON, 14 May — Member of National Disas-ter Preparedness Central Committee Minister for So-cial Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maj-Gen MaungMaung Swe arrived in Labutta by helicopter fromYangon on 12 May.

Maj-Gen Maung Maung Swe, together withMinister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen HtayOo, distributed foods, medicines, purified drinkingwater and canvas tents transported by the flight to thestorm victims in the town.

Minister Maj-Gen Maung Maung Swe discussedrelief and resettlement tasks being implemented for thevictims and future tasks, and left for Pathein by heli-copter. — MNA

15-5-08 NL 7/29/18, 3:01 PM9

10 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008

40 developing countries eyenuclear power

20,000 take part in 25th Tour of Athens

Zimbabwe rejects Westernelection observers

MILAN, 13 May—World rice output is expected to hita record high this year, but growing demand and exportcurbs should keep prices high, at least in the short term,the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organizationsaid on Monday. Rice prices have been surging asgovernments and importers rush to stock up, spurred bygrowing fears the food staple will be in short supply.

“World paddy production in 2008 could grow byabout 2.3 per cent, reaching a new record level of 666million tons, according to our preli-minary forecasts,”FAO rice expert Concepcion Calpe said in a statementon Monday. Taken in milled terms, this year’s riceoutput should rise to about 445 million tons, aboveFAO's previous estimate of 441 million tons and the432 million tons forecast by the US AgricultureDepartment on Friday.— MNA/Reuters

File photo shows BHP Billiton’s Atlantis petroleum asset in the Gulf ofMexico as shares in the mining giant hit an all time high amid gossip that a

Chinese entity was seeking a stake in the firm.—INTERNET

WASHINGTON, 13 May—More than40 developing countries have recentlyapproached United Nations officials toexpress interest in starting nuclearpower programmes, the WashingtonPost reported on Monday.

The interest among developingcountries ranging from the Gulf to LatinAmerica is a concern to proliferationexperts, who say it could provide thebuilding blocks for nuclear arsenals insome of the countries, the Post said.The newspaper said much of the interestin nuclear power is driven by economicconsider-ations including the high costof fossil fuels.

However, some Middle Easterncountries with access to large stocks ofoil or natural gas, such as Kuwait, SaudiArabia and the United Arab Emirates,appear to be investing in nuclear powerpartly because of concerns about afuture regional arms race, the Post said.

“We are concerned that somecountries are moving down the nuclear(weapons) path in reaction to theIranians,” a senior US Governmentofficial who tracks the spread of nucleartechnology told the Post. The papersaid he declined to speak on the recordbecause of diplomatic sensitivities.

MNA/Reuters

HARARE, 13 May—Zimbabwe will not inviteelection observers fromWestern countries tomonitor a presidentialrun-off unless theyremove sanctions, statemedia said on Monday,rejecting oppositiondemands.

Justice Minister

Patrick Chinamasa saidZimbabwe would notbow to pressure to inviteelection monitors fromWestern countries and theUnited Nations.

“We will not allowthem ... We will thinkfavourably of them if theylift sanctions,” the state-run Herald newspaper

quoted him as saying.“Until they do that, thereis no basis to have anyrelationship with them.”

After weeks ofequivocation, oppositionleader Morgan Tsvangiraisaid at the weekend hewould contest the run-offagainst Robert Mugabeeven though he believeshe won outright in the firstround and accuses theruling ZANU-PF of vote-rigging.

Tsvangirai’s Move-ment for DemocraticChange (MDC) said hewould return home to dealMugabe a “final knock-out” after almost threedecades in power.

But Tsvangirai said hewould only stand ifinternational observersand media were given fullaccess to ensure the voteis free and fair.

MNA/Reuters

Artists perform Beijing Opera at the openingceremony of the “Meet in Beijing 2008-Cultural

Events” which kicked off on 12 May, 2008.INTERNET

Sudanese men walk past wrecked vehicles at the site of fierce fighting betweenDarfurian rebels and Sudanese government forces in Khartoum’s twin city of

Omdurman. Sudan pressed its hunt for a Darfur rebel leader on Tuesdayduring attack on Khartoum left nearly 100 soldiers dead and brought the

conflict to the government’s doorstep for the first time.—INTERNET

ATHENS, 13 May—More than 20,000 Athe-nians turned out onSunday to take part in the25th “Tour of Athens”which was this yeardedicated to Mother’s Dayand the role of Greekmothers in society.

The race is organizedeach year by the Athensmunicipality and its

Youth and SportsOrganization ONA, withthe emphasis being moreon taking part than oncompeting.

This year’s race beganat 10:00 and ended ataround noon, followingthe usual route aroundcentral streets in the capitalthat had been cleared oftraffic for the race.

Athens Mayor NikitasKaklamanis made aspeech at the startingpoint, the marble-coveredPanathenian Stadium thathosted the first-everOlympic Games of 1896,saying that the Tour ofAthens had become a“cultural and athleticinstitution”.

MNA/Xinhua

FAO says rice crop to hit record,but prices still rising

Wristwatch fetches $2.25min Geneva auction

GENEVA, 13 May — Achronograph wristwatchwhich belonged to anItalian racing driverfetched 2.345 millionSwiss francs (2.25 millionUS dollars) at auction,Sotheby’s said on Mon-day.

The large gold PatekPhilippe watch originallyowned by Count CarloFelice Trossi, president ofScuderia Ferrari, went forthe highest price ever fora wristwatch sold atSotheby’s, the auctionhouse said.

Sotheby’s said beforeSunday night’s sale inGeneva that the watch,known as the “TrossiLeggenda”, was “almostcertainly unique” andcould bring two millionSwiss francs. It was thestar lot among nearly 200watches. Trossi was aracing driver, pilot andspeed boat racer whosemotor-racing victories

included the 1947 ItalianGrand Prix.

“It is a watch of greatsymbolic and historicimportance as it came outin 1932, a turning pointwhich also saw car racingand the emergence ofairplanes,” GeoffroyAder, Sotheby’s head ofwatches in Geneva, told apre-sale news briefing.

MNA/Reuters

15-5-08 NL 7/29/18, 3:01 PM10

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008 11

A revolver lies on a special table in the newfingerprint research system at the state policedepartment in Kiel, northern Germany. The

laboratory, which opened on Wednesday, May14, is the most modern of its kind in Germany

and cost almost half a million euros. The tracingsystem uses more than 50 processes — some

highly complex — to look for fingerprints. Nomessy fingerprint powder here. —INTERNET

World’s smallest one-man helicopter, GEN H-4,is seen here flying in the city of Matsumoto,

Nagano prefecture, central Japan. It will soontake flight in the birthplace of Leonardo da

Vinci, who is credited with having first thoughtof a vertical-flight machine, according to its

developer.—INTERNET

One of Beijing’s new team of official pedicab drivers waves to a colleague, as he takes his passengerson a hutong tour near Shichahai Lake on Monday.—XINHUA

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Imagesof theDay

The Tesla Roadster electric car sits in a showroom in Los Angeles.—INTERNET

Dutch woman TirzaMol rows hergondola, the

Netherlands’ onlyone, through thecanals of centralAmsterdam, on 9

May, 2008, where itis raising eyebrows asfine weather sees the

Dutch take to thewater. Mol spent four

months observingmaster gondola

builders in Venicebefore returning tothe Netherlands to

make her own boat.INTERNET

Manuel Uribe chats with a reporter during aninterview at his home in the suburb of San

Nicolas de los Garza, in Monterrey May 9, 2008.Still too heavy to move his swollen legs, Uribe,

who weighed more than a small truck in January2006, has lost 37 stone (235 kilos) on a diet of

grapefruits, egg-white only omelets, fish, chicken,vegetables and peanuts.—INTERNET

15-5-08 NL 7/29/18, 3:01 PM11

12 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008

Children look at destroyed vehicles after clashes in Baghdad’s Sadr City on 13May, 2008, which police said killed 11 people and wounded 20 others. —XINHUA

US examining satellite imagesof China quake area

At least 12 killed as ferrycapsizes off Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, 13 May—At least 12 peopledrowned and others were missing and feared dead aftera packed ferry sank off the southern coast of Haiti,authorities said on Monday.

Jean Baptiste Langeton, a municipal official inGressier on the southern outskirts of the impoverishedCaribbean nation’s capital, said the boat had more than150 people aboard when it capsized late on Saturday orearly Sunday morning.

“Twelve bodies have been recovered but there mightbe more,” said Langeton. “The search is continuing forsurvivors and other bodies,” he said.

He added that the bodies of the victims discoveredso far, seven adults and five children, were found earlySunday after they washed up on a beach known asSunny Bel.

MNA/Reuters

Russia names suspectin Politkovskaya murder

Iran says to sue US, Britain over mosque blast

Chinese police seizeVietnamese baby traffickers

NANNING, 13 May—Police in south China’s GuangxiZhuang Autonomous Region have seized sixVietnamese baby traffickers in a border town andrescued two baby boys, public security authorities inDongxing City said.

The four men and two women were arrested inDongxing City on 5 May and handed over to theVietnamese police the next day, the Dongxing publicsecurity bureau said in a Press release on Sunday.

The Chinese police were informed by theircounterparts in Mong Cai on 4 May that a Vietnamesebaby trafficking ring were planning to enter Chinawith two babies.

The Dongxing police closely monitored the wharfsalong the border Beilun River, the most likely route forthe smugglers.

On the afternoon of 5 May, within hours after theVietnamese police warned of the smugglers’ departure,police in Dongxing captured five Vietnamese suspects,including two women and three men, and the twobabies upon their entry into China.

Police later seized another Vietnamese man whowas suspected to be their main liaison for baby tradeand illegal adoption in China.

The two babies were turned over to Vietnam policeon 6 May and are currently staying at a social welfarecentre. — MNA/Xinhua

WASHINGTON, 13 May—US intelligence analystsare examining spy satelliteimages of China’s SichuanProvince, where a powerfulearthquake is believed tohave killed more than 8,500people, a defence officialsaid on Monday.

The official said theNational Geospatial-Intel-ligence Agency, or NGA,was assessing high-altitudeimagery as a routine steptaken whenever a naturaldisaster or another major

event occurs someplace inthe world.

US spy satellites andother high-altitude survei-llance platforms canproduce highly detailedpictures of damage toroads, railways, tunnels,ports and coastlines.

The defence officialdeclined to comment onwhat the images of Chinashow.

NGA is part of thePentagon and analyzesoverhead pictures from U2

spy planes and DefenceDepartment satellites.

In recent years, the BushAdministration has offeredsatellite images andanalysis to foreign govern-ments coping with naturaldisaster to help organizerescue and recoveryoperations.

There was no immediateword about whetherWashington was preparingto offer assistance toChina.

MNA/Reuters

MOSCOW, 13 May—Russian prosecutors onMonday named the manthey say killed journalistAnna Politkovskaya in2006 and released onbail another whom theydescribed as an ac-

complice.Politkovskaya, a fierce

critic of Kremlin policy,was shot dead in herMoscow apartment build-ing. Her murder sparkedinternational reproach andput pressure on Russian

authorities to solve thecrime quickly.

“Rustam Makhmudov,the direct agent in thekilling, has been placedon an international wantedlist in connection with thisaccusation,” chief cri-minal investigator Vlad-imir Markin said in astatement. Prosecutors inMarch told a court theyknew the identity of herkiller, but did not namehim at the time. Criticssaid it was a move to keepone of the accused—Colonel Pavel Ryaguzovof the Federal SecurityService (FSB)— in prison.Markin said another of theaccused, Magomed De-melkhanov, was bailedon 7 May but was notallowed to leave Moscow.Seven men remain in det-ention.—MNA/Reuters

TEHERAN, 13 May—Iran’s judiciary said onMonday it would fileinternational lawsuitsagainst the United Statesand Britain, accusing themof providing financialsupport to those behind ablast in a mosque thatkilled 14 people.

Iran’s IntelligenceMinister last week saidIran had arrested five orsix members of a terroristgroup with links to Britainand the United Stateswho he said were involvedin the explosion thatalso wounded 200 inthe southern city of

Shiraz. Iranian officials had

previously said the April12 blast, during an eveningprayer sermon by aprominent local cleric, wascaused by explosives leftover from an exhibitioncommemorating the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War.

Judiciary spokesmanAli-Reza Jamshidi toldstate television theterrorists behind thebombing were agents ofthe US and Britishgovernments in Iran.

“The relationship ofthose who planted thebombs in Shiraz with the

US and Britain wasidentified and they werebeing financially sup-ported and in fact theyacted as foreign agents inIran,” he said.

“In view of thedocuments obtained thejudiciary in cooperationwith the government andthe Foreign Ministry willfile lawsuits with inter-national authoritiesagainst their supporters,who on the one hand claimto fight terrorists and onthe other hand providethem with equipment,” hesaid.

MNA/Reuters

Turk planes hit PKK targets in N IraqSULAIMANIYA, (Iraq), 13

May— Turkish war planesbombed Kurdish sep-aratist PKK rebels innorthern Iraq overnightbut there were no casu-alties, a security spokes-

man for Iraq’s Kurdistanregion said on Monday.

Jabbar Yawar, spokes-man for Iraq’s KurdishPeshmerga securityforces, said the strikesoccurred in a remote part

of Dahuk Province nearthe border with Turkey.

“There were nocasualties,” Yawar said.

Over the past weekdozens of Turkish F-16war planes have launchedbombing raids againstsuspected KurdistanWorkers Party (PKK)positions deep insidenorthern Iraq.

The air strikes are partof a wider militaryoperation, backed byattack helicopters, tanksand artillery, against thePKK in restive southeastTurkey.

MNA/Reuters

Lebanese Army startsdeployment north

BEIRUT, 13 May—Lebanese Army troops starteddeploying this morning in Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsein Tripoli of northern Lebanon following fierce clashesovernight, LBC reported Sunday.

14 people were killed in clashes in the north, betweenAl- Moustakbal fighters and SSNP members in thearea. Al-Moustakbal fighters “executed” twelvemembers, and burned offices of the Syrian SocialistNational Party (SSNP) in Hallba up north, OTVreported.—MNA/Xinhua

15-5-08 NL 7/29/18, 3:01 PM12

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008 13

Phoenix spacecraft

Vast Chile volcano ashcloud partially collapses

PUERTO MONTT, 14 May— A towering cloud ofhot ash, gas and moltenrock spewed miles intothe air by a volcano insouthern Chile, haspartially collapsed, raisingfears it could smothersurrounding villages, anexpert said on Tuesday.

Luis Lara, a scientistwith the government’sgeology and miningagency, said the columnof ash, which had soaredas high as 20 miles (30kilometres), was nowabout 4.5 miles (sevenkilometres).

The column of debris,kept aloft by the pressureof constant eruptions,could collapse entirely,smothering the ghosttown of Chaiten six miles(10 kilometres) away with

hot gas, ash and moltenrocks.

“These small collapseswhich generate minorflows of pyroclasticmaterial are normal, theyare not that serious in thatthey affect a small area,the top part of thevolcano,” Lara said.

“But that doesn’t makethe worst case scenariodisappear,” he said. “Aslong as the eruptivecolumn is high in the air,(a major collapse) is apossibility.”

Thousands of peoplehave been evacuatedfrom within a 30-mile(50-kilometre) radius ofChaiten volcano, 760miles (1,220 kilometres)south of the capitalSantiago.

MNA/Reuters

NASA Phoenix spacecraft ready for Mars landingWASHINGTON, 13 May —

NASA’s Phoenix MarsLander is preparing to endits long journey and begina three-month mission totaste and sniff fistfuls ofMartian soil and buriedice.

The lander is scheduledto touch down on the RedPlanet on May 25,according to the missionupdates released onTuesday.

Phoenix will enter thetop of the Martianatmosphere at almost13,000 mph ( about 20,000km per hour).

In seven minutes, thespacecraft must completea challenging sequence ofevents to slow to about 5mph (about 8 km per hour)before its three legs reachthe ground.

“This is not a trip to

grandma’s house. Puttinga spacecraft safelyon Mars is hard andrisky,” said Ed Weiler,associate administratorfor NASA’s ScienceMission Directorate.“Internationally, fewerthan half the attempts havesucceeded.”

Rocks large enough tospoil the landing orprevent opening of thesolar panels present thebiggest known risk. However, images fromthe camera on NASA’sMars ReconnaissanceOrbiter, detailed enoughto show individual rockssmaller than the lander,have helped lessen thatrisk.

If all goes well,confirmation of thelanding could come asearly as 7:53 pm EDT on

25 May, said NASAPhoenix uses hardwarefrom a spacecraft built fora 2001 launch that wascanceled in response tothe loss of a similar Marsspacecraft during a1999 landing attempt.Researchers who pro-posed the Phoenix missionin 2002 saw the unusedspacecraft as a resource

for pursuing a new scienceopportunity.

Phoenix left Earth onAug. 4, 2007. The solar-powered robotic lander is

designed to manipulate a7.7-foot arm to scoop upsamples of undergroundice and soil lying abovethe ice.

One research goal is toassess whether conditionsat the landing site ever havebeen favorable formicrobial life. Anotherimportant question iswhether the scooped-up

samples contain carbon-based chemicals that arepotential building blocksand food for life.

Internet

US doctors miss chancesto give flu vaccines

WASHINGTON, 13 May— Doctors are missing plentyof opportunities to vaccinate people against influenzaevery year, flu shot maker Sanofi-Pasteur said onMonday. Sanofi said it has evidence that 25 millionhigh-risk people visited a doctor every year duringrecent flu seasons and did not get a flu shot.

Flu vaccine makers told a meeting in Atlanta thatthey plan to make more vaccine than ever before forthe US market, and start delivering it as early asAugust so people can get vaccinated as soon aspossible.

And makers said they were also tweaking theirvaccines to make them more appealing to consumers,with one company focusing on needle-averseschoolchildren and another offering a jab free of acontroversial mercury preservative and possibleallergy-provoking latex.

Flu vaccine makers say they will provide up to 146million doses of vaccine to the US market for theupcoming 2008-2009 flu season.

This would cover less than half of the US populationbut every year some vaccine gets wasted as people failto get vaccinated.— MNA/Reuters

Newly born babies are moved to open space to avoiddanger in a hospital after an earthquake occurredin Nanchong, a city of southwest China’s Sichuan

Province on 12 May 2008. A major earthquakemeasuring 7.8 Richter Scale jolted Wenchuan

County of Southwest China’s Sichuan Province at2:28 pm on Monday. Earthquake was felt in

Nanchong, Chengdu, Chongqing, Zhengzhou andLanzhou. The International Nurse Day celebrated

on the day of 12 May.—XINHUA

Indian pharmaceuticl firmaims to enter Philippines

MANILA, 13 May—India’s third largestpharmaceutical firm willsoon enter the Philippinemarket through a distri-bution deal with a localcompany, reportedthe local newspaperBusiness World on Mon-day.

Dr Reddy’s Labora-

tories Ltd’s application totransact business in thePhilippines has alreadybeen approved by theSecurities and ExchangeCommission, a FilipinoGovernment organ incharge of studying appli-cation for transactingbusiness by foreign com-panies, said the report.

Setting up a partner-ship with local companyBritton Market-ing Corpfor the Phili-ppineMarket, Part, the Indiancompany will engage in“information dissemi-nation, act as communi-cation centre and promotecompany products aswell as quality controlof products for export”,according to the re-port.

The company will alsoset up a plant in Bulacan,north of Manila in twoyears’ time from now,either for manufacturingor packing, said thereport.

MNA/Xinhua

Hair test for breast cancer to hitAustralian market

CANBERRA, 13 May—A world-first test that candiagnose breast cancerby X-raying a woman’shair will be availablecommercially laterthis year, the Australiandeveloper said onMonday.

Managing directorDavid Young of Sydneycompany Fermiscansaid results from a trialinvolving 2,000 Aust-ralian women showed thetest to be effective indetecting breast cancer,though the success ratewas just 75 per cent.

Young said the resultswere still “comparativelyaccurate” vis-a-vis the

mammogram, the goldstandard test before rollingit out nationwide.

“Fermiscan plans toprogress to commer-cialization in Australia bythe end of the year, whichis exciting news”. Youngsaid in a statement. Thetest is based on anAustralian universitydiscovery that breastcancer changes the

molecular structureof hair. Breast tumourssecrete chemicals calledcytokines into the blood-stream, which can affectthe way the hair follicleworks to form hair, adifference that canbe picked up usingsophisticated X-raytechnology.

It was designed as aless painful and invasive

method of cancer detec-tion than the mam-mogram, and it can be usedby women of all ages.

“The accuracy of thetest in a commercial useis expected to signifi-cantly improve as womenwill prepare by ensuringthey have undamagednew growth of hair fortesting” he said.

MNA/Xinhua

15-5-08 NL 7/29/18, 3:01 PM13

14 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008

S P O R T SOlympic torch relay to mark

silence for quake victims BEIJING,14 May — China will observe one minute’s

silence at the start of each day of the Olympic torchrelay after Monday’s earthquake in southwest Chinakilled thousands, Games organisers said.

The one minute will start on Wednesday in Ruijin,in the eastern province of Jiangxi, with the celebrationsscaled down for all future stops, the website of theBeijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games(BOCOG) said.

“The Olympic torch relay will take safety as the firstpriority,” it said without elaborating.

The Olympic flame has had a troubled tour over-seas with protests about China’s perceived heavy-handed treatment after riots in the western region ofTibet.

The torch will be paraded in the quake-hit provinceof Sichuan from June 15-18 as scheduled and the routewould not be altered, said Li Zhanjun, director of theBOCOG media centre.

Charity donation boxes would be in place along thepath of the flame each day, the notice said.

The Beijing Olympics begin on 8 August. MNA/Reuters

Owen a possible target for Japan’s Chiba

Germany, Denmark winextra UEFA cup spots

MANCHESTER, 14 May — Germany and Denmarkwere handed extra UEFA Cup places next seasonfollowing a Fair Play draw by UEFA on Tuesday.

Seven associations — Norway, Denmark, Spain,Sweden, Finland, Germany and France — went intothe hat for two first qualifying round places.

The draw was made at the City of Manchesterstadium, the venue for Wednesday’s UEFA Cup finalbetween Zenit St Petersburg and Rangers.

England topped Europe’s Fair Play rankings, withthe highest-placed team in the Premier League’s ownfair play chart who had not secured European footballnext season taking a first qualifying round place.

MNA/Reuters

Terry, Drogba likely to be fitfor Champs League final

TOKYO, 14 May – Japan’s JEF UnitedChiba are planning an audacious swoopfor England striker Michael Owen, Japa-nese media reported on Tuesday.

The J-League club have just unveiledformer Liverpool first-team coach AlexMiller as their new manager and believeOwen can solve the team’s current goal-scoring problems.

Japan’s Nikkan Sports reported thatChiba officials were preparing an initialapproach and that contact had been madewith Owen’s agent Tony Stephens.

Owen has yet to agree a new contractwith Newcastle United and the former

Liverpool and Real Madrid striker hasbeen linked with a move to PremierLeague champions Manchester United.

A move to Japan could prove detri-mental to Owen’s England career, al-though JEF United have transfer fundsavailable after selling several top playersbefore the 2008 J-League season.

“The reports are not 100 per cent offthe mark,” Chiba’s Kentaro Shiga toldReuters.

“Owen’s name was one of those beingtalked about when the team were lookingat possible targets.”

MNA/Reuters

Beitar, Jerusalem win IsraeliState Cup in shootout

TEL AVIV, 14 May — Beitar Jerusa-lem won the Israeli State Cup in a tensepenalty shootout on Tuesday after thefinal against Hapoel Tel Aviv ended in ascrappy goalless draw.

League leaders Beitar, who kept alivetheir hopes of completing a league and cupdouble, dominated the action throughoutthe 120 minutes but were let down by poorfinishing. They eventually won the cup fora sixth time after edging the shootout 5-4.Hapoel’s Barukh Dego came closest toscoring for either side when he hit Beitar’swoodwork in the first half of the match. Healso missed the crucial penalty during theshootout. — MNA/Reuters

Chelsea managerAvram Grant believesJohn Terry, seen hereon 11 May, 2008, and

Didier Drogba will playthrough the pain barrier

to face ManchesterUnited in next week'sChampions League

final.—INTERNET

Detroit Pistons' Rasheed Wallace (R)shoots over Orlando Magic's DwightHoward in the second quarter duringGame 5 of their NBA Eastern Confer-ence basketball series in Auburn Hills,Michigan on 13 May, 2008.—XINHUA

San Francisco Giants’ Matt Cainworks against the Houston Astros

during the first inning of a baseballgame on 13 May, 2008,

in San Francisco.INTERNET

Nedved will stay atJuventus next season

MILAN, 14 May — Czech wingerPavel Nedved has signed a new one-year contract with Juventus after decid-ing not to retire, the Serie A side said onTuesday.

The Turin club have finished third intheir first season back in the top flightfollowing their demotion for match-fix-ing in 2006. They will enter the Cham-pions League qualifiers next season,prompting the 35-year-old left wingerto stay.

"At the heart of my decision is theknowledge of having lived sevenextraordinary years here and the wishto relive the European experiencewith a team I am deeply attached to,"Nedved told Juve's website(www.juventus.com).

MNA/Reuters

Davydenko, Ferrer enjoy easy wins in Hamburg

LONDON, 14 May — Chelsea manager Avram Grantsaid on Tuesday that striker Didier Drogba and captainJohn Terry should be fit for the Champions Leaguefinal against Manchester United in Moscow on May21.

England defender Terry injured his elbow andDrogba jarred his knee during Sunday’s final PremierLeague match of the season, a 1-1 draw at home toBolton Wanderers.

“We haven’t had training today nor yesterday so wewill have to see at training tomorrow how they are butJohn Terry I think will be okay,” the Israeli told theclub’s website (www.chelseafc.com).

“With Didier Drogba, I don’t know how serious it isbut I think he will give everything to play in this game.”

Ivory Coast striker Drogba told French newspaperL’Equipe on Tuesday that there was “nothing serious”about his injury, adding that he would train this week.

On Terry’s injury, the 30-year-old Striker added: “Ihave spoken to him. He will play in Moscow. No onewants to miss this gigantic match.”

MNA/Reuters

HAMBURG (Germany),14 May — NikolayDavydenko and DavidFerrer moved smartly intothe third round of the Ham-burg Masters on Tues-day, while TommyRobredo came back fromthe brink to win a first-round thriller againstPhilipp Kohlschreiber.

Davydenko, the Rus-

sian fourth seed, helpedhimself to a 6-4, 6-1 vic-tory over Croatia's IvanLjubicic, while Spain'sFerrer, seeded fifth, wasequally impressive in a 6-3, 6-3 win over Ivo Minarof the Czech Republic.

Robredo, who had thebest win of his career whenhe took the title in Ham-burg in 2006, lost the first

set and was two pointsaway from defeat whenhe fell a break down in thesecond-set tie-break.

The Spaniard recov-ered, thanks to a couple ofpoor serves from Germanhope Kohlschreiber, andheld his nerve at the end ofthe decider to take his thirdmatch point and win2-6,7-6, 6-3.

Though that was theoutstanding match, thebest individual display onthe red clay came fromDavydenko, who servedbeautifully and took ad-vantage of a stream ofunforced errors fromLjubicic to seal an easywin in one hour 24minutes.

MNA/Reuters

Steven Gerrard (seen here on April 22) admits Liver-pool will only challenge for the Premier League titlenext season if Rafa Benitez spends big money. Gerrardis desperate to make up for another disappointingdomestic campaign after Benitez’s side slipped out ofthe title race by Christmas and finished nine pointsbehind champions Manchester United.—INTERNET

15-5-08 NL 7/29/18, 3:01 PM14

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 15 May, 2008 15

R 489 Published by the News and Periodicals Enterprise, Ministry of Information, Union of Myanmar. Edited and printed at The New Light of Myanmar Press,No 22/30 Strand Road at 43rd Street, Yangon. Cable Newlight, PO Box No. 43, Telephones: Editors 392308, Manager 392226, Circulation 392304, Advertisement 392223,Accounts 392224, Administration 392225, Production/Press 392369

WEATHER Summary of observations recorded at 9:30 hoursMST: During the past 24 hours, southwest monsoon isadvacing into the Deltaic, rain or thundershowers havebeen isolated in Kachin, Kayin, Kayah States and lowerSagaing Division, scattered in Shan State, fairly wide-spread in upper Sagaing and Mandalay Divisions andwidespread in the remaining States and Divisions withisolated heavyfalls in Rakhine and Mon States. Day tem-peratures were (3°C) to (4°C) below May average tem-peratures in Kachin, Shan, Rakhine States and YangonDivision, (5ºC) to (6°C) below May average tempera-tures in upper Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway,Ayeyawadyand Taninthayi Divisions and about May average tem-peratures in the remaining areas. The noteworthy amountsof rainfall recorded were Yay (6.34) inches, Gwa (4.02)inches, Thandwe (2.95) inches, Sittwe (2.12) inches,Pathein (1.96) inches and Hkamti (1.77) inches.

Maximum temperature on 13-5-2008 was 87F.Minimum temperature on 14-5-2008 was 72ºF. Rela-tive humidity at (09:30) hours MST on 14-5-2008 was92%. Total sunshine hours on 13-5-2008 was (0.4)hours approx.

Rainfall on 14-5-2008 was (0.40) inch at Mingaladon,(0.82) inch at Kaba-Aye and (1.30) inches at CentralYangon. Total rainfall since 1-1-2008 was (21.45) inchesat Mingaladon, (24.88) inches at Kaba-Aye and (27.24)inches at Central Yangon. Maximum wind speed at Yangon(Kaba-Aye) was (15) mph from Southeast at (15:45) hoursMST on 13-5-2008.

Bay inference: According to the observations at(06:30) hur MST today, a low pressure area has formedover the North Andaman Sea and adjoining East CentralBay. It may develop further into a depression. Monsoonis vigrous in the Andaman Sea and South Bay and weatheris partly cloudy elsewhere in the Bay of Bengal.

Forecast valid until evening of 15-5-2008: Rain orthundershowers will be isolated in Kayah State andMagway Division, scattered in Kachin and Shan States,lower Sagaing and Mandalay Divisions fairly widespreadin Chin State and upper Sagaing Division and widespreadin the remaining States and Divisions with likelihoodof isolated heavyfalls in South Rakhine and Mon States,Bago, Yangon and Ayeyawady Divisions. Degree ofcertainty is (80%).

State of the sea: Frequent squalls with moderate torough seas will be experienced off and along MyanmarCoasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40) to(45) mph.

Outlook for subsequent two days: Unsettle weatherconditions will continue over the Deltaic areas.

Forecast for Nay Pyi Taw and neighbouring areafor 15-5-2008: Isolated rain or thundershowers. Degreeof certainty is (80%).

Forecast for Yangon and neighbouring area for15-5-2008: Intermittent rain which may be heavy attimes. Degree of certainty is (80%).

Forecast for Mandalay and neighbouring area for15-5-2008: Isolated rain or thundershowers. Degree ofcertainty is (60%).

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Wednesday, 14 May, 2008

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exercise7:30 am3. Morning news

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Thuesday, 15 MayView on today

DPRK develops new kitfor bird flu testing

Expert warns soaring riceprices a global danger

OTTAWA, 14 May— The current spike in worldrice prices could be devastating, even if it only lastsfor a few months, and will leave African nationsvulnerable to unrest, a top expert said on Tuesday.

PYONGYANG, 14 May— A highly accurate kit fortesting bird flu virus hasbeen developed by a

veterinary institute of theDemocratic People’sRepublic of Korea(DPRK), the official newsagency KCNA saidMonday.

The accuracy of thenew kit is higher than theold ones, the KCNA quotedKim Hyok, director of itsproducer, the VeterinaryInstitute under theAcademy of AgriculturalScience, as saying.

The kit is now in use atseveral epizootic preven-tion centres and poultryfarms, it added.

MNA/Xinhua

Rice prices havetripled over the past year asstocks dwindle and majorexporters curb shipmentsto keep domestic pricesunder control.

The price of Thai 100per cent B grade white rice— considered the world’sbenchmark — was quotedat 920 US dollars a ton onMonday, just under itsrecent peak of 1,000 USdollars.

“The impact of a spikein rice prices — even let’ssay it only lasted a fewmonths — is something thatcould be devastating,” saidRobert Zeigler, director-general of the Philippines-based International RiceResearch Institute.

“Let’s notunderestimate the gravityof this situation,” he told anOttawa conference on foodprices. — MNA/Reuters

15-5-08 NL 7/29/18, 3:01 PM15

11th Waxing of Kason 1370 ME Thursday, 15 May, 2008

NAY PYI TAW, 14 May—Chairman of the Na-tional Disaster Preparedness Central Committee PrimeMinister General Thein Sein, accompanied by Adju-tant-General Maj-Gen Thura Myint Aung, Chairmanof Ayeyawady Division Peace and Development Coun-cil Commander of South-West Command Brig-GenKyaw Swe, ministers, heads of department, inspectedrelief camps in Pathein yesterday.

The Prime Minister and party inspected therelief camp at Thiha hostel of Pathein University, metwith storm victims, individually asked them reliefsupplies, foods and accommodation and consoled them.

Next, the Prime Minister gave instructions oncreation of job opportunities for healthy storm victims

Prime Minister General Thein Sein inspects relief camps in Pathein

Storm victims from Labutta, Ngaputaw townshipsaccommodated at Pathein University, Koethein Gymnasium,

BEHS-3 with food, health care services provided

and keeping respective relief camps and their environ-ment clean. At the relief camp at Koethein Gymna-sium, Chairperson of Ayeyawady Division Women’sAffairs Organization Daw Win Win Maw presentedrelief supplies worth K 2 million donated by MyanmarWomen’s Affairs Federation to the Prime Minister.

Afterwards, the Prime Minister and party dis-tributed relief items to the storm victims and cordiallygreeted those from Labutta and Ngaputaw Townshipsand consoled them.

At No. 3 Basic Education High School of Pathein,the Prime Minister and party presented relief items tothe storm victims donated by wellwishers. Next, theyasked after a storm victim who was badly injured in the

back during the storm and cured after and undergoingmedical treatment.

The storm victims from Labutta and NgaputawTownships were accommodated separately at PatheinUniversity, Koethein Gymnasium and No 3 BEHSbeing provided with food. In addition, health careservices are being given to them.

Next, the Prime Minister and partyhelicoptered to Labutta from Pathein in the after-noon. Afterwards, they viewed roofing with corru-gated iron sheets, thatches and tarpaulin on thehouses and office buildings, and relief and rehabili-tation tasks being undertaken by companies inLabutta Township by car.

Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Htay Oo briefed the Prime Minister on his visit tothe villages that were out of contact in Labutta, lossesand damages and measures taken for the storm victims

(See page 5)

Monsoon sets inYANGON, 14 May—According to the observa-

tion at 6.30 pm, a low pressure area formed over deltaregion had crossed southern part of Rakhine Stateand abated. South-West monsoon has set in deltaregion.—MNA

Prime Minister General Thein Sein greets storm victims at a relief camp in Pathein.—MNA

Trucks loaded with timber for reconstruction of buildings arrive in Pyapon.—MNA

INSIDE

Let’s work together forthe nation to be able to

rise from naturaldisaster

HLAING AUNGPAGE 6

15-5-08 NL 7/29/18, 3:01 PM16